MARKING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATOMIC BOMBINGS OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI (Scholarships available)

Join us for this national gathering marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and offer Campaign of Non-Violence promoters and others with significant opportunities to deepen the vision and practice of nonviolent change.

Social Action & Science

Being With DyingThis Professional Training Program for Clinicians in Compassionate Care of the Seriously Ill and Dying is fostering a revolution in care of the dying and seriously ill. Clinicians learn essential tools for taking care of dying people with skill and compassion.

ChaplaincyA visionary and comprehensive two-year program for a new kind of chaplaincy to serve individuals, communities, the environment, and the world.

Upcoming at Upaya

• Meditation Instruction at Upaya: September 20, October 4, November 22, December 13. Please join us in the Upaya Zendo at 11:00 am to learn our practice.

• Metta Refuge Council: Starting this Tuesday, April 14, 2009, our weekly council group will begin at 9:45 am and last until 12:05 pm at Upaya House. When there is a change of location, you will be notified. For any questions, please contact Susan Benjamin at 505-982-9261 or email arttherapy@aol.com. For details: http://www.upaya.org/action/caring.php

Join us in the garden! Upaya is doing its spring planting season. We welcome volunteer gardeners and donations of vegetable and herb seeds and sprouts. Contact Rakushin, shakti@upaya.org

2010 Retreat Schedule: Upaya has already much of 2010 planned with exceptional retreats and teachers. As we have grown in renown over the past years, we advise early registration so you have the chance to reserve a room. Programs include such teachers and scholars as Matthieu Ricard, Richard Davidson, Amishi Jha, John Dunne, Al Kaszniak, Roshi Joan, Lynne Twist, Sensei Beate, Roshi Enkyo, Kaz Tanahashi, and many others. Contact Roberta for details about our upcoming programs. registrar@upaya.org

Upaya News

Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce. -- Natalie Goldberg

(Special talks on 10/21 by Stephen Batchelor - "On Making a Raft" and on 10/28 by Martine Batchelor

Our schedule for 2010 is almost set and we advise early registration, as there is limited housing at Upaya and our programs are filling much earlier than last year. registrar@upaya.org

Upaya is accepting applications for the Path of Service, an exceptional program for those who wish to practice and serve at Upaya from three months to a year. pos@upaya.org

The arts pilgrimage to Japan with Roshi Joan and Sensei Kaz is almost full. If you are interested in joining them for this unique journey, contact the office as soon as possible. registrar@upaya.org

Shinzan

Sometimes when you think you are done, it is just the edge of beginning. Probably that's why we decide we're done. It's getting too scary. We are touching down onto something real. It is beyond the point when you think you are done that often something strong comes out. -- Natalie Goldberg

Dear Friends, Roshi and Beata thank you so much for your loving support of Shinzan, As you know, we have been working closely with immigration lawyers to insure that our beloved Head Trainee monk, Shinzan Palma, can stay in the US and at Upaya. The legal costs for this process have amounted to over $10,000. We are asking you to kindly donate to Shinzan's legal fund, if you are so moved. finances@upaya.org or call 505 986 8518, and ask for Ellen. Deep thanks to Deborah Bezanis, Angie & Andrew Blake, Susan Dean, Canice Garth, Roberta Learner, Lynette Monteiro, Carl Mountain, Pat O’Hara, Brian Quennell, Cahty Anne Rose, John Schorling, Peter Van Etten, Martie Wagner, Carol W. Wu, Jill Basso and Robert Menegio, Jude Johnston. We are halfway there!

Oct 23 - Nov 8: Fall Practice Period: Radical Buddhism

The wind has settled, the blossoms have fallen; Birds sing, the mountains grow dark -- This is the wondrous power of Buddhism. -- Ryokan

Buddhism is undergoing a powerful transformation process as it encounters the West and is becoming a global force for good in our imperiled world. This practice period, based in a continuity of meditation practice, explores the radicalization of Buddhism through the works and insights of renowned Buddhist teachers Stephen and Martine Batchelor, Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Beate Genko Stolte, and Sharon Salzberg.

The practice period includes all aspects of Buddhist study and life, interviews with teachers, dharma talks, sesshin, and seminars. A unique faculty collaborates to teach this year’s Fall Practice Period. One may participate for the whole practice period or by program. Appropriate for both seasoned practitioners and beginners. To register for the entire Practice Period , email registrar@upaya.org. You may also register for individual programs as noted below:

News from Upaya's Buddhist Chaplaincy Program

Maia Duerr, the coordinator of Upaya's Chaplaincy Program, will be at the 5th Annual Buddhist Chaplaincy Symposium on Saturday, October 3, in Redwood City, California. If you're interested in Upaya's Chaplaincy Program and want to meet us there, please do come! For more info, see: http://www.buddhistchaplainsnetwork.org/ords_&_endorsements1.htm

Our First Cohort students are moving into the last 6 months of their studies, after one and a half years of deep learning, practice, and service. They are currently preparing Final Projects, which they will present before graduating from the program in March 2010. Some of the titles of their projects include:

Mind and Life: Educating World Citizens

If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much. Education is a precondition to survival in America today. -- Marion Wright Edelman

www.mindandlife.org Mind and Life Announces the Dalai Lama to Engage in Education Reform Dialogue at Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century Conference Dr. Richard Davidson discusses his involvement in Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century conference.

On Oct. 8-9, 2009, the Dalai Lama will participate in our Washington D.C. conference, Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century. The goal of this ML XIX conference is to explore the value of integrating emotional, intellectual and social learning into today's educational programs with the intention to promote education research into these areas. Leading educators, scientists and policy makers will discuss the importance of researching what effects the inclusion of mindfulness-based curriculums and programs can have in educational environments, especially for students exposed to risk factors such as poverty, violence and divorce. Research indicates that school-based programs may be the best way for children to develop the non-academic but equally important skills necessary to be successful in our society. Programs across the country that teach mindfulness of the self and others have significantly improved academic performance, work habits and self-esteem. "We hope to draw more attention to expanding research into mindfulness-based educational approaches, such as social and emotional learning, and how such reforms can improve attention, self-motivation, self-esteem, and healthy decision-making skills among school-aged children and teenagers," said Adam Engle, Chairman of The Mind and Life Institute. Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century will take place October 8-9, 2009 at DAR Constitution Hall. Tickets are on sale with discounts for students and groups of 5 or more, and are available through Ticket Master. "Our goal is not to promote any particular educational approach, but to generate dialogue and new ideas from experts in this field," said Laura Baun, Operations Director of The Mind and Life Institute. "Ultimately, we want to know what the value of contemplative practice is to students, teachers and parents. Our dialogue with the Dalai Lama will look at what students need, and what we can learn by promoting research in these areas." Participants in education, neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy will participate in four sessions during the conference. The Dalai Lama will be active in each session, which include "Attention, Emotional Regulation and Learning," "Compassion and Empathy," and "Envisioning the World Citizen." Event Website: www.educatingworldcitizens.org Organization Website: www.mindandlife.org

Prison Hospice Program Captured In Photos

My companions trekking the six realms...... I recognize my father... There is my mother... -- Dogen

http://www.newsweek.com/id/213111Newsweek magazine published a series of photographs taken at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola by Lori Waselchuk during a two-year period. About 85% of its 5,100 inmates will likely perish behind bars. In 1998, the prison created a hospice program. Waselchuk chronicled activities at the prisoner-run hospice. The hospice inmates do their best to ensure fellow prisoners do not die alone. They build a hand-made casket and bury the inmate in the prison cemetery. Volunteers from outside the prison, including a retired chaplain, visit with the dying inmates. The photography exhibit, Grace Before Dying, is touring correctional facilities, museums, and conferences.

Eve Ensler Speaks

You really can change the world if you care enough. -- Marion Wright Edelman

Somewhere on this planet right now a girl or woman is standing up for her rights, refusing to be cut or sold or beaten or raped or married off or denied school and resources. I have watched V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, grow in 11 years from one event in New York City to 4,200 events in over 1,400 places on the planet in 2009. I have seen small shelters become huge organizations, grassroots leaders become elected officials, and survivors who at one time could hardly speak above a whisper, confront world leaders.

I have seen a taboo word become mainstream and a taboo subject take the front pages. I have seen all of this, and yet the UN statistic that one in three women will be beaten or raped in her lifetime remains true today. Women and girls bear the brunt of war, economic exploitation, racism and a failing international economy.

Nowhere in the world is this more true then in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country that has been embroiled in a horrific war for more than 12 years, where an economic war has created a virtual hell for women and girls. Where nearly 5.4 million people have died and hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been brutally raped and sexually tortured. The DRC is a place where you can feel the contaminating impact of colonial exploitation and greed. King Leopold II of Belgium, who in the 1880s exploited the country’s natural resources (mainly rubber) through cruel forced labor and murders, set a precedent for the pillaging of the Congo’s vast natural resources and exploitation of the Congolese people. In a country the size of Western Europe, that until recently remained invisible in the world’s imagination, the grotesque suffering of millions, does not register in our consciousness. What the world has paid attention to are the resources of the Congo, reaping the tin, gold and coltan that gets used in our cell phones. This is most surely an economic war fought on the bodies of women.

This is the first time V-Day has ever spotlighted one place for two consecutive years. I think it is safe to say that that eastern Congo is without a doubt the worst place on the planet to be a woman. The kind of violence, the numbers of women being violated, the fact that it is being done to infants and the very old, the fact that families are forced to watch the rapes. The fact that it has gone on in the face of an indifferent world for over 12 years and that the war is fueled by our greed for minerals that serve our phones and computers. All these would be compelling reasons to continue our campaign.

But there is another reason. The women of the Congo are fierce. They have been organizing for years to fight for freedom, for peace, for their rights. In the last two years of our campaign we have been able to support and amplify their grassroots efforts and help build a women’s movement on the ground, training activists throughout the country. They are changing the story of women in the DRC. They are marching, making new laws, speaking out, breaking the silence, creating collectives of survivors who are planting fields, developing new small businesses. They are teaching and dancing and training, creating art and building media networks.

In 2009, V-Day’s focus on the women and girls of the DRC raised over a one million dollars and brought the issue of violence in the DRC to the attention of millions of people throughout the world through thousands of V-Day benefits, 1,000 teach-ins, dynamic social media and massive outreach. Dr. Denis Mukwege, the founder of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, and I toured America. Thousands came out to hear this extraordinary man and were compelled to join our movement.

For the first time ever, Congolese women stood in front of their friends, family, neighbors and elected officials and broke the silence, sharing their stories of abuse and violence in Goma, Bukavu and Kinshasa. In the past year, due to the impact and pressure of our campaign, and the work of many other groups, we are making enormous strides. Secretary Clinton visited the DRC and made sexual violence a front-page issue.

Through advocacy we were able to address European and Canadian parliaments and the U.S. Senate. We met with world leaders in Paris and London. We were able to penetrate the media and get this issue into The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, CNN and more. We have joined forces with many groups on the ground and around the world. We started construction on the City of Joy, a transformational community where women’s pain will be turned into their power, enabling them to be leaders and providing them with a place to heal emotionally as they rebuild their lives.

At the site, groundbreaking programming in human rights, activism, economic literacy, group therapy, storytelling, dance, theater, self-defense, comprehensive sexuality education, and agriculture will provide women with important life-skills, emboldening them to shatter gender norms and be leaders in Congolese society. The community will also run an income-generating program and have its own program on the local women-run radio station. I am also pleased to tell you that half the 80-person construction crew is women. There is a momentum. We are creating a template for advocacy and movement building that we can apply worldwide. If we can end violence against women and girls in the DRC, we can end it everywhere.

Continue fighting to free the women in your home, your family, on your block, in your school, at your job, in every corner of the world. Be bolder, speak louder, give everything. This is the moment. The door is open. It’s as if we have one limb through, now if we can get our bodies through, it will never close again.

Join us and TURN PAIN TO POWER. With love and gratitude, Get involved in V-Day’s STOP RAPING OUR GREATEST RESOURCE: Power To The Women of the Congo campaign – sign up for our newsletter; organize a Congo Teach-In; produce a V-Day benefit event – find out more by visiting www.vday.org

Roshi Joan

Roshi returned to beautiful Upaya from the Refuge and then left for the East Coast for meetings with CEOLC people from Univ of Virginia and John Kluge's 95th birthday. She returns to Upaya tomorrow. She then goes to the Refuge to help prepare for the Fall Harvest Retreat. Roshi hopes you will join her and the sangha for the Fall Harvest Retreat at the Refuge: http://www.upaya.org/programs/event.php?id=410

Nearly 20 years ago, Roshi Joan founded the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she teaches Buddhism and trains those who care for the dying. Her interest in palliative care began a long time ago when she was married to the brilliant psychiatrist Stanislav Grof. Together, they wrote a book: The Human Encounter with Death about the people they considered to be the least cared-for in the hospital system. Besides, the Roshi says, working with the dying is about the most life-affirming thing you can do. Roshi Joan's latest book is called Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death. It's published by Shambhala. It can be ordered from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/6dzyu7

The Upaya bookstore has a number of Roshi's dharma talks on DVD. Please call the front office for titles and ordering, 505-986-8518, or email upaya@upaya.org

The Chinese filmmaker Kam Sung has made a fascinating and visually poetic account of Roshi Joan in Tibet. A high-resolution version on DVD is now available from Upaya. Email at upaya@upaya.org or call 505-986-8518 to order.

Neurobiology of We, Daniel J. Siegel Podcasts Available

Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training

Nothing makes me more happy than the vow to save everyone. --Ryokan

Based on the work of the late Francisco Varela and the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this visionary program brings together science and humanism in a powerful way with Roshi Joan Halifax, Joanna Macy and an exceptional faculty. http://www.upaya.org/training/chaplaincy/ or email: chaplaincy@upaya.org A visionary two-year certificate program based in Buddhist teachings and systems thinking. Co-Directors: Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Fleet Maull; Coordinator: Maia Duerr. With outstanding faculty.

Engaged Buddhism at Upaya

Old battlefield, fresh with spring flowers again All that is left of the dreams Of twice ten thousand warriors slain. -- Basho, Translated by C. H. Page

MINDFULNESS MUST BE ENGAGED: There are so many ways we can serve our communities. Please click for information on Upaya's service programs on caring for the sick and those in prison. Here are pathways for you to engage in:

Metta Refuge Council: Tuesday, 9:45 a.m., a meeting for people who are ill, their caregivers, hospice volunteers, nurses, and those interested in exploring issues around sickness, aging and death. Beginning around 11:20 a.m. until 12:05 p.m. the group engages in contemplative writing as a way to explore what is present for people in the moment. No writing experience is needed. For more information, please contact Susan Benjamin at ArtTherapy@aol.com. For details: http://www.upaya.org/action/caring.php

The Upaya Prison Project serves prisons residents at Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center and the Penitentiary of New Mexico. New volunteers are starting training to work "inside", teach stress management through meditation, simple yoga, and confidential conversation in a protected place. More volunteers are needed to teach life skills and social skills. If this interests you, email Ray Olson atnanrayols@aol.com.

Please help support our projects by making a donation to Upaya Zen Center for the Metta Program or Upaya Prison Project. We are deeply grateful for any donation.

Upaya Compassionate Action Network (UCAN!)

When I see the misery of those in this world their sadness becomes mine oh that my monk’s robe were wide enough to gather up all the suffering people in this floating world Nothing makes me happier than the vow to save everyone. --Ryokan

The Upaya Compassionate Action Network (UCAN!) is turning our attention to Nuclear Disarmament. We've posted extensive background on this subject, from a Buddhist perspective, as well as suggested actions and resources.

Sadly, the situation in Burma has not improved (our focus issue for April and May). We've archived the background and actions for Burma in the Discussion Board area of this page, and it remains on our page on the Upaya site: http://www.upaya.org/action/ucan.php

Please continue to remember Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma. Should another urgent action be recommended, we will keep you posted.

The Path of Service at Upaya

What can I accomplish? Although not yet a buddha, let my priest’s body be the raft to carry sentient beings to the other shore. --Ryokan

Please visit our website at http://www.upaya.org/about/path-of-service.php for more information andapplication instructions or write pos@upaya.org. If you’ve been looking to deepen your experience of Zen practice - and to be of benefit to others - consider our Path of Service program. Upaya is currently accepting applicants for our front desk, garden, kitchen, and maintenance departments. Path of Service residents stay for a minimum of three months and participate in three daily Zazen periods, seminars, practice periods and Sesshins. Explore your practice of the Buddha’s teachings with Roshi Joan Halifax and Sensei Beate Stolte. In addition, some of the premier Dharma teachers from around the country and world come to Upaya to lead retreats and give Dharma talks.

Being at Upaya

There are many ways to be at Upaya... come for a personal retreat, volunteer your time, or apply for our Work Exchange or Path of Service Program.

Path of Service: Upaya is accepting applications for our path of service resident program, inviting practitioners to live and serve here from three months to a year or more. For more information and the application forms see: http://www.upaya.org/about/path-of-service.php or contact: pos@upaya.org This is a wonderful way to give of your energy, deepen your zen/Buddhist practice, and be in a thriving sangha.

Enjoy and learn from the opportunity to receive zen teachings from Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Beate Genko Stolte and many other extraordinary teachers; hear weekly seminars and dharma talks; have dokusan with Sensei Beate, and experience the deep joy of living in community. Click here for more information about the month long Work Exchange or three month residency program: http://www.upaya.org/about/path-of-service.php

Personal Retreat/Guest Practitioner: Quiet, still, peaceful -- Upaya is a special place in the spring with intimate rooms, kiva fireplaces and breathtaking views. Spend some time here and find your own rhythm as a personal retreatant. To learn more about enjoying a peronal retreat at Upaya or coming as a guest practitioner, please contact roberta by calling 505-986-8518 X12, emailing registrar@upaya.org or visit: http://www.upaya.org/programs/being-at-upaya.php

Volunteer at our front desk, kitchen, garden or in housekeeping. Our volunteer program is intended for people who wish to contribute to Upaya and spend time working with the resident sangha; it is non-residential. For those who have the financial need, volunteer hours can be exchanged for retreat participation. In that case, a $10 hourly rate is credited for your work, and a maximum of 80% of the tuition may be earned and must be earned in advance of the event. Contact Roberta 505-986 8518, ext 12 or registrar@upaya.org.

Prajna Mountain Forest Refuge

The sound of the stream is His long, broad tongue; The mountain form, His body. This evening's 84,000 verses - How will I tell them tomorrow? --Su Tung-p'o

We are also very interested in hosting volunteers — “Friends of the Refuge” — in three categories:• Skilled workers we know (at no charge);• Skilled workers we haven’t met before (with references, one week at no charge);

For the Refuge:

the colors of the mountains the sound of the valley stream just the voice of my shakyamuni buddha.... --Dogen

Is your garage over full? We can help! In building our new hermitages, we need these tools. Perhaps you want to open things up and give some things away. Donations are gratefully accepted. Great thanks to Roby for the truck donation!!!!! Contact: Peg at murraypeg@hotmail.com

Join Jane Fonda in Santa Fe: Women's Media Center

From Jane Fonda: In an effort to continue to build awareness and support for the Women's Media Center, which I co-founded, I will be performing a very personal reading from my memoir, My Life So Far, in a series of Media Salons.

The Women’s Media Center was established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit in 2005. From our founding, our vision is to make women visible and powerful in the media. To RSVP, please call Maya Iwata at 212.563.0680 or email her at maya@womensmediacenter.com Our host for our first 2009 salon in Santa Fe, NM, is Elizabeth A. Sackler, a WMC supporter and Honorary Advisory Council member Elizabeth A. Sackler is a feminist public historian, social activist, lecturer, president of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and benefactor of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

Gathering at home of Elizabeth A. Sackler in Santa Fe, NM Benefitting The Women’s Media Center. Address will be provided upon commitment. Starting at 6:30 $500—cocktails and reading, a fully tax deductible donation. To RSVP. Please call Maya or Vanesa at 212.563.0680 or email them at info@womensmediacenter.com

Middle East Meets West: Rahim AlHaj, Ottmar Liebert

UNDER THE ROSE: WITH RAHIM AL HAJ AND OTTMAR LIEBERT: http://ottmarliebert.com/rose Here is one of those collaborations between two remarkable musicians that speaks to the heart and ear as no other. The downloads are free or by donation. Iraqi oud master Rahim AlHaj and Western guitar master Ottmar Liebert combine their extraordinary talents in one of the most beautiful musical renderings of Middle East meets West that has ever been created.

Jon Gagan's track weaves together the strings of these two master musicians, making aural poetry that longs for peace in a place that is profoundly imperiled. Read about Rahim: http://rahimalhaj.com/ He has sat in the fire in Iraq. His story, recounted in the NYTimes and other places, speaks to his exceptional courage. Both Rahim and Ottmar are close friends of Upaya's. We did a fundraising for Iraqi children some years ago where Rahim brought tears into the eyes of those who were there through is extraordinary gift with the oud. Ottmar has played often at Upaya, and brought his powerful musical gift to those who work with the dying and the many students who practice at the Zen Center. The collaboration between Ottmar, Rahim, and Jon is something that should not be missed. We urge you to download this gorgeous music and to make a donation.

Great New Items at Upaya

ENAMELED AND STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLES in black, steel, and metallic orange with Upaya Zen Center and logo embossed.

UPAYA CHAI - White tipped tea infused with green cardamon, peppercorns, and other spices for chai on the lighter side. White tea leaves are picked in early spring in the high mountains of China. The result is a rare, feathery leaf and a soft willowy liqueur which contains only a small amount of caffeine.

T-SHIRTS and HATS with temple seal and enso by Kaz Tanahashi.

Membership Offering

Blessed is he who finds happiness in his own foolishness. For he will always be happy. --Chade Meng

This year, our membership sangha has grown, thanks to you. Your membership gives so much to Upaya, and we in turn offer freepodcasts, daily practice, exceptional teachings, and service to those in prisons and at the end of life. We ask you to become a member of Upaya and support all that happens in this unique place of practice. For less than the cost of an evening out, your monthly donation will make a real difference in sustaining Roshi's work, Sensei Beate's wonderful teachings, and Upaya's existence. sign up online. You can also become a member by calling Roberta Koska, Upaya's registrar at 505-986-8518 X12.

As a way to show our appreciation for your support, members receive some wonderful benefits (including discounts on Upaya retreats). And if you sign up as a new member or renew your membership by September 1, you'll receive a CD of some of the best dharma talks from Upaya.

Last words......

On a visit to the East Coast, Suzuki Roshi arrived at the meeting place of the Cambridge Buddhist Society to find everyone scrubbing down the interior in anticipation of his visit. They were surprised to see him, because he had written that he would arrive on the following day. He tied back the sleeves of his robe and insisted on joining the preparations "for the grand day of my arrival."

From: To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki: Stories of a Zen Teacher Told by His Students

Ways to be involved..........

Upaya Institute Website: http://www.beingwithdying.org This website is for those who are interested in the Professional Training Program on Contemplative End-of-Life Care; it contains articles, news, training programs, audio and video programs, and will be enriched with important materials over the next months.